Drill press

[Democritus]

Hi Guys
I have a Record Power 16B bench top drill press. It’s column is too short (13’’) to get a pen blank vice under any drill bit longer than about 5’’. The bigger bits, say, 13mm, are too long.
I need a press with a longer column. It has occurred to me that I might be able to get round this (and the expense of buying another press) by replacing the steel tube on my existing press with a longer one. Has anyone done this, and, if so, where did you get the tubing?
D

 

[CHJ]

Save yourself the trouble and drill the blanks on the lathe, if you have spigot jaws for your chuck already you can use them to maximize ease of alignment, if not the cost of a set won't be wasted for additional turning options. No need for specialist 'blank holding' jaws.

 

[Lazurus]

Wot he said !!

 

[Democritus]

CHJ and Lazarus.

I’ve got a Jacobs chuck and appropriate pen blank jaws, but I have a bit of a problem with tail and headstock alignment. (See previous thread). In any case, having spent £60 on the vice, i’d like to be able to use it.
D

 

[Lazurus]

Shouldnt be a problem to extend the mounting post - if you get stuck the below is a helpful forum
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/

is the alignment not adjustable?

 

[Lazurus]

Just read the post relating to the lathe, 1mm out dont see why that is a problem drill - insert bust - turne between centre or on mandrell should be fine my previous lathe was a lot further out and was never an issue. I made 100`s of pens and between centre tyrnings over 15 years, the only thing that caused problems was my technique not the lathe itself. My VB36 is not perfectly in line either again not ever caused an issue. I can and do adjust it occasionally but never chased perfection.

 

[Dalboy]

Just read the post relating to the lathe, 1mm out dont see why that is a problem drill - insert bust - turne between centre or on mandrell should be fine my previous lathe was a lot further out and was never an issue. I made 100`s of pens and between centre tyrnings over 15 years, the only thing that caused problems was my technique not the lathe itself. My VB36 is not perfectly in line either again not ever caused an issue. I can and do adjust it occasionally but never chased perfection.

I must admit I need a nicely lined up head and tailstock you try drilling a 3/32" hole down the middle of a 3/16" dowel :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[CHJ]

I must admit I need a nicely lined up head and tailstock you try drilling a 3/32" hole down the middle of a 3/16" dowel :lol: :lol: :lol:

Go on- you know you need one.

Democritus:-
1. What diameter is your drill pillar?
2. is it a tube or solid?
as an alternate can you:-
3. Gain extra height by turning drill head at 90 deg to base and use bench top rather than drill base?

I'm surprised that with a Chuck to Base dimension of 295 mm you don't have enough head room. I would have thought the depth of feed:50 mm was more of a limit in use.

 

[Democritus]

Thanks again, guys

I think the alignment problem can be worked round, but it’s not ideal. I have put a level across the lathe bed as Kim suggested, and it is slightly out of level. I intended to try to adjust the feet to level it up, but, with one thing and another, I’ve just not got round to it. ( mea culpa). But in spite of that, I’d like to be able to use the pen vice. The drill press column is hollow, and 47.6mm outside diameter. I think this is not a standard size for steel tubes.
The problem with drill bits only occurs when using bigger bits > 12 mm, as they are longer. As I noted in a previous comment, I think pen vice sellers should give an indication that a tall drill press is probably needed to get the best out of them.
Swinging the press platform on my drill out on of the way doesn’t help much, as the base plate is not level.
Any road up, I think it might come down to new press.
D.

 

[CHJ]

.....
Swinging the press platform on my drill out on of the way doesn’t help much, as the base plate is not level.........

That does not sound right, are you saying the drill support column and quill travel is not at 90 deg. to the base surface!
Are you sure any slight difference is not correctable by manipulating the locking screws securing the column at top and bottom can't influence this?

I personally can't see an error in that respect that would be anywhere as significant as the possibility of a drill wandering off-line if it follows the grain in a wood blank.

Remember with a working quill travel of 50mm* most drill blanks will need repositioning by raising up the blank/holding vice to complete the hole bore.

*Very few home workshop pillar drills have more than 50mm quill travel.

 

[Democritus]

CHJ

That’s correct. When I swing the platform away and put a level on the base, it is not level (poor machining?), and therefore not square with chuck (and any drill bit in it).This occurs even when the press is on a cast iron machined flat plate. It’s not out that much, maybe a couple of mm, but sufficient to negate the 90 degree vice. The normal platform is, of course, adjustable for square with the chuck, but the base plate isn’t. The problem is that the lowest position of the platform is too high to accommodate the pen vice below a long drill bit. A longer column is needed. As you say,the 50mm travel is also a problem when using a large drill, and that is another reason to think about another drill press.

D.

 

[Greenfellers]

I have swapped out the column on a cheap Wickes Drill press, I used a length of steel exhaust tube from e-bay but could not match the diameter of the original and ended up fractionally smaller resulting in the cast table clamp failing when (over) tightening to position the table. 3 years later lockdown gave me the opportunity to machine a new clamp and make a bigger table with clamps etc.

Probably not worth the effort.

 

[Dalboy]

I must admit I need a nicely lined up head and tailstock you try drilling a 3/32" hole down the middle of a 3/16" dowel :lol: :lol: :lol:

Go on- you know you need one.

I would love a metalworking lathe but a lot larger than that one :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Anyone scrapping a 28 - 40? the bars are a smidgeon over 48mm - probably the thickness of the plating on a 48mm tube.

 

[chaoticbob]

Hi Guys
I have a Record Power 16B bench top drill press. It’s column is too short (13’’) to get a pen blank vice under any drill bit longer than about 5’’. The bigger bits, say, 13mm, are too long.
I need a press with a longer column. It has occurred to me that I might be able to get round this (and the expense of buying another press) by replacing the steel tube on my existing press with a longer one. Has anyone done this, and, if so, where did you get the tubing?
D

Hi Democritus. Some time ago I had lengthy correspondence with another forum member about this - he too needed a longer column on a small bench drill. After much discussion of strategies, and research into available tube, it turned out the most cost effective solution was to machine a new column from solid steel, which had the added benefit of making the press stiffer and more stable.
In your case, if you can get enough headroom between the chuck and base, it might be possible to put shims between the column flange and base to bring the column true to the base. Obviously there's still the problem of the 50mm quill stroke - I suspect you're convincing yourself that you need a new machine! If so I'd issue the standard advice - look second-hand Fobco, Meddings etc. My ancient Fobco Star has a 95mm stroke and is rock solid.
Robin